O'Malley Wants Change In Petition Referendum Process

Governor Martin O'Malley explains the changes he'd like to see in the process to get legislation before voters. Download This File

Governor Martin O'Malley appeared with same sex marriage supporters on Tuesday night. (Photo by WBAL's Robert Lang)

Governor Martin O'Malley says it is time for lawmakers to reconsider the requirements that voters can use to get legislation before voters, noting the current process maybe "too easy."

Three of the seven ballot questions voters approved Tuesday were the result of referendum petitions.

"It's probably been made a little too easy. There was a requirement that required 50,000 actual physical signatures. Because of the Internet that has been so easy to do electronically, that the legislature probably needs to revisit that," O'Malley told WBAL News early Wednesday as supporters of same sex marriage gathered to celebrate passage of their ballot question.

Opponents of same sex marriage, the DREAM Act, and congressional redistricting collected thousands of signatures to get all three issues on the ballot.

A group led by Washington County Republican Delegate Neil Parrott started a website, MDPetitions.org, where voters could download a petition, sign it and then mail it to Parrot's organization. Opponents of all three issues also appeared at festivals and other events to collect signatures.

In the case of same sex marriage and the DREAM Act, opponents collected more than twice the 55,736 signatures that were required to get the issues on the ballot.

Critics of the process say that a group of opponents can use the referendum process to overturn legislation they don't like. A number of supporters of same sex marriage criticized the referendum process noting a person's "civil rights"

"I think we have been best served in our state in the over 200 years or more of our history, by a representative democracy rather then plebiscites," O'Malley added.

Still, the governor notes that all three issues passed on Tuesday.

"Tonight, the people of Maryland showed their goodness," O'Malley added.